Taunton's Holway Centre to be revamped

The Holway Centre is run by Taunton Deane Partnership College

An education centre for excluded school pupils is set to be revamped instead of demolished and rebuilt.

The Holway Centre pupil referral unit in Taunton is for youngsters who cannot attend mainstream education due to medical reasons or who have been excluded for behavioural issues.

Somerset County Council's commissioning officer said a remodel would meet the growing future need.

The unit is run by Taunton Deane Partnership College.

The centre was originally constructed in 1952, with an extension added in 1997.

It teaches five to 16 year olds and its current Ofsted rating is good, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Rebuild

The upgrade will include new furniture, equipment and IT facilities.

Council commissioning officer Lewis Andrews said: "The refurbishment plans represent the most appropriate method to now increase pupil capacity as opposed to a 'demolish and rebuild' project.

"Over the next 15 years, demand for specialised school places in the virtual catchment of Taunton will continue to rise as housing developments are delivered and the population increases.

"The refurbishment project will help ensure sufficiency of specialised places for the next 10 to 15 years."

The council has not divulged the cost of the upgrade, citing commercial sensitivity, but confirmed no additional external borrowing would be needed.

The council was awarded £4m by the Department for Education in 2013 to demolish the existing buildings and replace them, but this funding will now be returned to Whitehall.

The upgrade is expected to be completed by September 2021.